[1996-06-17-NJPW-Skydiving J] Jushin Liger vs Dick Togo

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

This is super fun. Liger is just so MEAN in this match, toying with Togo the whole time just because he can and doing a lot of showoff stuff. At one point, Togo goes to the top and Liger knocks him to the floor with an open-handed slap and then does the Superstar Graham pose in the ring while acting like he's on a rotating podium. At another point he powerbombs Togo on the floor then does a Fargo strut. I think I overrated this back on my old match list, but it's still worth seeing. It's not as much a great match as it is an awesome Liger performance that's very entertaining.

[Zenjo]

I enjoyed the build. Richard started dicking it up right away. It wasn't to be heel vs face however, as Liger was no shrinking violet. He wanted to be the bad guy, and gave out worse than he got. The spirit of Black Liger was alive in this one. The stretch wasn't up to the same standard. Once Togo had hit his finisher twice and it wasn't enough then the result was nid. They should've finished it off soon after that and cut off a few unnecessary minutes off. I agree with Loss that this is one you want to see for the Liger performance.

[PeteF3]

Liger wrestles like he's an outsider in Michinoku Pro--maybe appearing in the Budokan in what was essentially enemy territory had that effect on him. The result is never much in doubt, unlike the first match we saw on the card, but it's a fine match that features Liger doing some primo arm work (boy is THAT a running theme these two days). I especially liked his cutting Togo off by hitting a missile dropkick to the arm.

[soup23]

Liger's strut was awesome. A really good match that was just needing a little bit of more competitiveness to enter the great range. Still, what we get here is a load of fun and some of the most memorable stuff of 1996 in ring. Togo looks really good and hits his big bumps when he needs too. Liger is a superstar giving Togo some stuff but making sure the crowd knows who the ace is. A blast to watch. ***3/4

[Superstar Sleeze]

Jushin Thunder Liger vs Dick Togo - NJPW 6/17/96

 

Doesn't get said enough but Jushin Liger's theme is a GOAT contender! It is pretty amazing I have seen both of these guys wrestle live!

 

Liger not only does his Hulk Hogan impression, but he busts out his best Ric Flair too! WOOOOOOOOOO!!! Awesome offensive display from both competitors here. Togo is able to keep Liger off balance with armdrags and Liger bails to the floor. DICK TORPEDO~! Insane suicide dive! One of the best of all time. Dick Togo works over Liger's midsection like a muthafucka. That double stomp was just nasty. We of course get a running senton. The transition was pretty weak as Liger just sort of goes on offense by sending Dick flying with a monkey flip and then a nice Kappo Kick. Liger's offense in this match was insane. I thought it was a very Ultimo Dragon performance from him where he cared more about offense than anything else which gave the match the feel of an exhibition. Dick Togo was just at his mercy and was not really put up much of a fight. Liger's German and Powerbomb were insane!!! Then he works over the injured arm of Togo and really nice stuff there. Liger hits a massive SHOTEI~! when Dick was on the top rope. Togo is able to knock him off the apron and hits this insane swandive onto the prone Liger when he tries to follow up with the a senton off apron, HE IS POWERBOMBED TO HELL!!! WOW! Liger POWERBOMBS his ass again and then does the Flair strut. Dick Togo uses a back heel kick to the balls to finally stymie the merciless onslaught of Liger. I liked that as a transition a lot. Dick Togo hits not one, but TWO Sentons from the top rope, but cant get the job done. They tease the Otani/Sammy finish with Liger dropkicking the bad arm of Togo and immediately applying the cross-armbreaker, but Togo makes the ropes. Love the sequence. Togo gets a nearfall with La Magistral, but this is Liger's match and he drops Dick Togo on his head a bunch before putting him away with the SHOTEI~!

Liger is the Boss, man. He just tears through his offense on Dick Togo. Lots of eye-popping spots here from Liger. Dick Togo more than matched him. Missing struggle and transitions to really crack the upper echeleon, but from a fireworks display hard to beat this. ****

[superkix]

Aggressively action-packed junior work from Liger with Togo taking quite the beating. That powerbomb counter on the outside is brutal. Liger's such a dick here, between his pissy armwork, the swagger, and just chopping the hell out of Togo. Togo's in the moment selling is really great as always.This is how you do a spotfest.

[tim]

I love this match. Back in my early days of ordering tapes I ordered a Jushin Liger comp (on VHS!) that had some of his well known classics, some lesser iterations of his major opponents, and a couple matches against guys I hadn't heard of yet, most of which weren't anything special. I was just watching the tape, didn't have a matchlist handy, and this match up comes on. At this point I'm not able to recognize Dick Togo by sight, might not have been familiar with him at all yet. And I remember being blown away by this anonymous match I've never heard talked about against a guy I didn't know. Just one of those random wrestling memories that sticks with me. Anyway, this match still rules. Doesn't follow the traditional juniors template. Togo hits a tope early and takes control for a bit, including a nasty double stomp. It's all action from there on out, with Liger taking most of the offense going forward. Liger hitting Togo with a huge move on the outside and standing tall taunting in the ring is excellent. That Togo slide-through drop kick, following by the springboard senton, followed by the powerbomb counter is one beauty of a sequence. Togo's La Magistral nearfall countering the Shotei ruled. Togo gets enough offense in throughout, including two sentons in a row, to look strong and make this feel competitive. Awesome match.